Get Active! August/September 2014

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Welcome A

s you can probably tell, Get Active! is heading off down memory lane this issue. To tie in with Scouting magazine’s intergenerational theme, we’ve raided a century of archives to find out what volunteers and young people got up to in earlier generations. Thanks to Claire Woodforde, archivist at Gilwell House, and Chris James, Brand Adviser, for showing us through a fascinating treasure trove of Scouting history.

We unearthed a few archaic gems – from how to catch a runaway horse, to glass-slide photography – but a lot of what we found still offers a heap of fun, relevant Scouting skills to this day.

Knowledge, fun and adventure spans the Movement’s long history, some half-forgotten and some still going strong today. Try these timeless activities with your young people and talk to them about Scouting in previous generations. We hope they’ll help forge a sense of connection to their forebears.

Contents Create…

4 7 8 9

Model making Build these mini vehicles from our archives Build a bee café Help save our bees with this garden project Recreate historic photos And win a Canon IXUS 155 camera worth £129 Potato prints Potato-based fun for Beavers and beyond

Discover…

10 20 timeless Scout games Great game ideas from 100 years of Scouting 14 What makes a brake?

Learn the basics of mechanics with Volvo Uses for your necker 15 Find out how versatile your Scout uniform is 16 Move like a marshall Play a plane-parking game

Learn…

Anna Scrivenger, Editor

scouting.magazine@scouts.org.uk

The national magazine of The Scout Association, Gilwell Park, Chingford, London E4 7QW Tel: 0845 300 1818 Get in touch at scouting.magazine@scouts.org.uk.

Read Get Active! and Scouting online at scouts.org.uk/magazine

17 Analogue arts Boost creativity with some pre-digital problem-solving 20 Satellite dishes explained Fun experiments that teach you about satellites 21 Rapid recipe Try Baden-Powell’s own coat-cooked damper on camp!

22 Surf safely A new initiative to help young people stay safe online

Please note that the views expressed by members and contributors in the magazine are not necessarily those of The Scout Association.

Get Active! Editor Anna Scrivenger Art editor James Daniel Content Advisers Rachel Jones, Michael Regan and Kevin Yeates With thanks to... Chris James, Claire Woodforde ISSN 0036 – 9489 © 2014 The Scout Association Registered Charity Numbers: 306101 (England and Wales) and SC038437 (Scotland) Get Active! is produced by Immediate Media Branded Content, 6th Floor, Tower House, Fairfax Street, Bristol BS1 3BN

ADVERTISING Advertising Manager Tom Parker Email: tom.parker@immediate.co.uk Tel: 0117 314 8781 © Immediate Media Branded Content.

Printed in the UK by William Gibbons.

All rights reserved. Unauthorised reproduction in whole or in part is prohibited without written permission.

Every effort has been made to secure permission for copyright material.

In the event of any material being used inadvertently, or where it proved impossible to trace the copyright owner, acknowledgement will be made in a future issue.

116,700 average circulation of Scouting (1 Jan–31 Dec 2013)

Explore…

23 Canny camping A roundup of a century of Scout-camp wisdom 27 Carve your own tent pegs A handy camp skill every Scout should know 28 What’s where?

Plan a virtual adventure with this fun challenge Footprint tracking 29 How to indentify wildlife tracks 30 Make your own compass Scouting ingenuity points the way

PEFC/16-33-795

This magazine can be recycled, for use in newspapers and packaging. Please remove any gifts, samples or wrapping and dispose of it at your local collection point.

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We are proud to say Get Active! is PEFC certified. For more information go to pefc.co.uk. Promoting sustainable forest management.

GET ACTIVE! 3

. . . e t a e r C Model MAKING

Scouts have always been a practical lot.

Try some of these timeless toy-building projects from our archives…

Wooden toy van Suitable for Cubs+ The design is simple, but you will need to do plenty of work with the sandpaper to make your van well finished.

1

Cut the main baseboard first, about 8 x 2 inches, from fairly thick wood. This gives the floor of the van and cabin. Cut four notches for your wheels (Sketch No.1) and fit your wheels on wire axles.

2 3

Cut side sections to cover the edges (Sketch No.2), 1 inch high.

Next cut the back of the cabin to fit, with a small cut-out window (Sketch No.3). Make a driver’s seat from an inch-square strip rounded on the edge.

4

From The Wolf Cub Annual, 1954 (abridged)

Now make the van front and back. The back panel is 2 x 1 inch. The front is made in one

Toy van

piece, coming to the same height as the rear of the cab. Tack on at an angle, sawing the main base to a corresponding angle. Cut out the windscreen and sand to round off.

5

Make and fit the sides of the cab and paint the inside.

Then make and fit the roof. If you use several thicknesses of wood, you can sand it to a domed effect.

6

Run a beading strip round the edge of the platform so that goods do not fall off. Add a steering wheel made from a small curtain ring and piece of dowel, clean the model up and paint.

You will need • Wooden boards, planks or offcuts • Toy wheels, approx 1 inch across (from hobby shops, or recycled toy cars) • Stiff wire • Sandpaper and block • Saw • Woodwork paint • Short strip of square beading, approx 1 x 1 inch • Thin square beading, approx 8 inches long • Curtain ring and short length of thin dowel

Sketch No.1

Sketch No.3 Sketch No.2

4 GET ACTIVE!

August/September 2014

Seaworthy matchstick boats Suitable for Cubs+ Here is a simple way to make attractive models of wooden ships, using only matchsticks and paper. This method allows the hulls to be rounded off realistically, and is very easy to do.

1

Glue the edges of a sheet of paper carefully to the sides of a matchbox tray.

2

Bring the two sides of the paper together at each end and snip off at an angle to make the sloping bows and stern. Fasten the edges with tape.

3

Cut four slits in the hull, close to the matchbox. Overlap the cut edges and tape or glue, to make the ends of the hull slope upwards.

4

5

Cut two lengths of garden cane to make masts and attach to the ends of the matchbox, their base reaching the bottom of the boat. Cut two sails from the plastic, make two holes and thread over the masts.

6

Paint your ship with smooth strips of colour. To use it on water, it’ll need two thorough coats of varnish, inside and out.

Before you set sail, put a few bits of stone in the hull to act as ballast.

From The Cub Scout Annual, 1973

Glue matchsticks along the hull to cover the paper completely. Start at the top, at one end, and run matches end to end in rows. To make a matchstick follow a curve, crack it so you can bend it

to shape. Start alternate lines of matches with a broken match, so that the joins are staggered (like bricks). Glue matches vertically up the bow and stern. When the glue is dry, sand the hull lightly.

You will need

• Matchbox • Matchsticks (headless sticks available from craft or model shops) • Paper • Sticky tape • Wood glue • Fine sandpaper • Garden canes • Opaque plastic squeezy bottle • Paint • Varnish

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GET ACTIVE! 5

These activities, though taken from the previous century, will still count towards today’s Scout Model Maker and Explorer Creative Arts Activity Badges.

August/September 2014

Badge e Our fun be e m a bingo g ingo.

B e e bq.co.uk/B

Build a bee café Save our vital bees from starvation with this gardening project Suitable for Cubs+

The importance of bees

You will need

Bees pollinate 75% of our main crops worldwide, including favourites such as apples, strawberries and tomatoes, and textiles such as cotton. An independent study by the University of Reading estimates that without bees it would cost over £1.8bn a year to pollinate UK crops by hand. One of the biggest threats to this helpful little insect is the disappearance of their food and nesting sites, with 97% of wildflower meadow habitats destroyed in the past 60 years. By making a bee café, you can create much-needed food for these amazing insects.

What to do

1

Take the basket, place on a stable surface and unclip the chain from one side to keep it out of the way.

2

Position the bin liner securely and fill the basket two-thirds with compost.

Picture: Thinkstock

3

Place the large centre plant in the middle of the basket so that the top of the plant is about 4cm from the top of the basket.

4

Plant the trailing bee-friendly plants

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around the edges, and then add the filler plants in the centre.

5

Tuck all the plants in with plenty of compost, leaving a 4cm gap at the top.

6

Place the bee café on bare soil and water thoroughly, then leave and re-water after 12 hours.

7

Hang up the basket in a sunny but sheltered location and watch the feeding frenzy unfold!

• 14-inch wire hanging basket • 9 litres multi-purpose compost • 1 bin liner to line basket • 1 large centre plant • 6 bee-friendly plants such as snapdragon, cornflower, mallow, aster or nasturtium, and non-root vegetables • 4 medium-sized ‘filler’ plants in bedding packs • Gloves • Apron

The great British bee count B&Q, Friends of the Earth and Buglife have teamed up to urge the UK to take part in the first Great British Bee Count. By reporting the type, number and location of bees they see, people will be contributing data to the National Biodiversity Network, used by experts and scientists investigating the plight of bees and the steps needed to help them. So get outdoors with your friends and family – the data collected could help to save these vital creatures. You can also download the bee count app at greatbritishbeecount.co.uk.

More info B&Q sponsors the Cub and Scout DIY badges. Its resources help take the fear out of DIY, and help young people develop these crucial skills for their futures. Download them now at scouts.org.uk/bandq.

GET ACTIVE! 7

Badge

The White House at Gilwell Park captured in 1919 and recreated in 2014

Bring old photographs back to life Recreate scenes from the past with this fascinating photo competition Suitable for Scouts+

iannon!

W AC

th 55 wor IXUS 1 9 £12

You will need • An old photo print, showing a group shot, view, event or building • A camera • People and props to recreate the scene

What to do

1

Find an old photograph, such as an old photo of a person, a street, view, event or even your Scout Troop or HQ.

2

Look at how and where the image was shot, such as the angles and composition, and try to replicate it. If there are people in the original shot, find people to copy the positions and clothing.

3

Take into account the lighting. Was the original picture taken in the daytime?

If so, can you tell when by where the sun is in the sky?

4

Think about the kind of camera you are using. Does it include settings to help you capture the same style as the original picture, eg. black and white or sepia?

5

Take a few photographs, then have a look at them and choose one that matches the original the most.

6

Use your camera, computer or an image-editing app to crop and edit the picture, making the most of any special effects.

7

Print your photo out at roughly the same size, and compare them. Why not display them in frames side by side?

8

To enter your photos into our prize comp, email your image, along with a scan or photo of the original, to the address below by 30 September.

More info Please submit your before and after images to corporate.partnerships@ scouts.org.uk or visit scouts.org.uk/canon for more information.

8 GET ACTIVE!

August/September 2014

Create more

FROM

ub The Wolf C 8 4 9 1 l, a u Ann How to cut potato for a diamond pattern

Potato

PRINTS

A fun activity for a wet day, using the humble spud…

Suitable for Beavers+ If it’s pouring with rain and you have to spend a day indoors, don’t get down in the dumps. It’s a grand opportunity for trying your hand at potato printing. Be sure to have an adult on hand to supervise the knife work, as you need to use a sharp blade.

What to do

1

Find a potato. Wash it, dry it, and then carefully cut it in half with a good sharp knife.

Spread the colour thinly and evenly on a slate or flat piece of wood.

2

To print in a diamond pattern, take one half and mark out a diamond shape with a pencil.

5

Take a postcard or a clean sheet of paper and start making designs with your stamp.

3

6

For printing ink, try real printers’ ink, stiff watercolour paint or a tube of oil paint.

You will need

• Potatoes • A sharp knife (adults should assist here) • Ink or paint

4

Later on you can make all sorts of other shapes – squares, crescents, stars, semicircles and so on.

Cook an egg the backwoods way No pans to cook your eggs? Let the potato come to the rescue…

Cut the top off a potato, hollow out and break in an egg.

Replace the top part of the potato and wrap in two layers of foil. Cook the potato in hot ashes and you will scoop out a beautifully cooked egg.

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GET ACTIVE! 9

. . . r e v o c s Di

20timeless

e Pleoatse e n ese games ar

of th young Some te for al ropria p p a dition in ith ad w le peop fering or dif needs s. ie abilit

SCOUTING GAMES

Group games have been a part of Scout meetings since the early days of the Movement. Try these timeless games with your young people; some enduring favourites and some forgotten gems Suitable for all

1

Granny’s footsteps

Players lineup, with one player, ‘granny’, about 20 yards away with their back towards them. Players try to move up to the latter without being seen on the move. ‘Granny’ may not turn until he or she has counted to a number between 20 and 40 since they last turned. Each player must start again if caught moving.

If caught three times they fall out.

First to touch ‘granny’ wins.

From Gilcraft's Book of Games, 1928 Illustrations: Peter O'Toole

2

10 GET ACTIVE!

Paper hunt

5

Intercept the ball

6

Pandemonium

Each player is given a copy of the same newspaper. The leader mentions some place, event or object, and the first to find mention of it in the paper gets a point. This may well be made a team contest, the paper being shared out.

Line dodge ball

Two lines are chalked parallel on the ground about 10 feet apart. One team lines up outside these lines ready to throw tennis balls (not too hard). The other team runs up and down between the lines until a player member is hit with a ball, when that player falls out ‘dead’. For each journey from end to end a player scores one point. The team who wins is the one with the most successful runs before all in the team are dead.

4

3

Dog and bone

Two teams face each other and are numbered; an object is put midway between the ranks. When a number is called the player from each side having that number comes forward and tries to grab the object and get back to their place without being touched by their opponent.

They can only be touched once they've touched the object, but not before. A time limit is often needed. The team winning the most contests wins.

Players form a circle, with one person in the centre who tries to intercept the ball being thrown.

Thrower of an intercepted pass, or of an uncatchable ball, or of a ball that goes above shoulder height, swaps with the player in the centre. Variations include bouncing or rolling the ball.

Each player is given a card on which is an order. As soon as the game starts everyone tries to carry out the orders on their cards.

The success of the game depends on the originality, variety, etc of the orders. Some orders should be to prevent others being carried out. As a variation, put the orders in a very simple code.

August/September 2014

7

Escape

8

Nose potato relay

Players join hands in a circle, one or more go into the centre and try to get out, over or under the arms of the rest. No bursting through is allowed and the circle must not close in.

Teams in file; each player in turn dribbles a knobbly potato round a given course, using only their nose to touch the potato.

First team to finish wins.

9

Form Xs

There can be any number of teams. The leader calls out a letter of the alphabet, and the team first forming up in such a way as to make that letter wins.

Lying on the floor may well be substituted, and makes the formed letter easier to read. scouts.org.uk/magazine

10

Cat and mouse

12

11

Fill the bottle race

13

Players fall-in in fours, holding the hands of those on each side. One player chases another in and out of the lines. Each time the leader blows a whistle all players turn right and hold hands with the player now on each side of them, thus changing the lanes for the runs. If the mouse is not caught in a fairly short time, a change of runners should be made.

Teams in line; each team has a bucket of water at one end of their line, an empty bottle at the other, and a teaspoon. The first team to fill the bottle up to a fixed mark wins. The water may only be transferred by the spoon being passed along the line from one player to another.

Night attack

One team makes a barricade of chairs, string entanglements, crackly leaves, etc, across the room and appoints one player as sentry who is armed with an electric torch. The lights are put out and the other teams try to pass through the barricade. If the sentry hears one they shine the torch, and if a direct hit is scored that player falls out. Team getting most through wins. The sentry should be blindfold.

Obstacle race

Set up a course of obstacles of infinite variety. Suggested indoor obstacles include: drink a cup of water with a teaspoon; find own boots out of a heap and put them on; procure a length of cord out of a tangle; eat a sticky bun off a string; get a penny out of a tray of flour with the mouth, etc.

GET ACTIVE! 11

7

Escape

8

Nose potato relay

Players join hands in a circle, one or more go into the centre and try to get out, over or under the arms of the rest. No bursting through is allowed and the circle must not close in.

Teams in file; each player in turn dribbles a knobbly potato round a given course, using only their nose to touch the potato.

First team to finish wins.

9

Form Xs

There can be any number of teams. The leader calls out a letter of the alphabet, and the team first forming up in such a way as to make that letter wins.

Lying on the floor may well be substituted, and makes the formed letter easier to read. scouts.org.uk/magazine

10

Cat and mouse

12

11

Fill the bottle race

13

Players fall-in in fours, holding the hands of those on each side. One player chases another in and out of the lines. Each time the leader blows a whistle all players turn right and hold hands with the player now on each side of them, thus changing the lanes for the runs. If the mouse is not caught in a fairly short time, a change of runners should be made.

Teams in line; each team has a bucket of water at one end of their line, an empty bottle at the other, and a teaspoon. The first team to fill the bottle up to a fixed mark wins. The water may only be transferred by the spoon being passed along the line from one player to another.

Night attack

One team makes a barricade of chairs, string entanglements, crackly leaves, etc, across the room and appoints one player as sentry who is armed with an electric torch. The lights are put out and the other teams try to pass through the barricade. If the sentry hears one they shine the torch, and if a direct hit is scored that player falls out. Team getting most through wins. The sentry should be blindfold.

Obstacle race

Set up a course of obstacles of infinite variety. Suggested indoor obstacles include: drink a cup of water with a teaspoon; find own boots out of a heap and put them on; procure a length of cord out of a tangle; eat a sticky bun off a string; get a penny out of a tray of flour with the mouth, etc.

GET ACTIVE! 11

Badge

What makes a brake?

Learn the basics of mechanics with Volvo Trucks Suitable for Scouts+

Volvo is keen to educate Scouts on career and development opportunities within Volvo and the truck industry in general.

As part of its commitment to Scouting values Volvo is the brand new sponsor of the Explorer Scout Science and Technology badge.

Disc brake

Piston Caliper

Wheel attaches here

Brake Pads

Rotor Hub

Drum brake What to do

Brake cylinder

Match the brake parts on the left-hand side with their function on the right. Use the labelled images if you need a helping hand.

Pistons

Drum

Cable To Hand Brake Lever

Adjuster mechanism

DISC BRAKE

CALIPER ASSEMBLY WHEEL BEARING DISC PADS WHEEL STUD DISC ROTOR

Hand brake mechanism Brake shoes

House the brake pads Allow the wheels to rotate Using friction, they convert the vehicle’s kinetic energy to thermal energy Secure the wheels to the vehicle Provides a hard surface for brakes to come into contact with

How it works

When the brake pedal is applied, friction between the brake pad and disc causes the vehicle to slow down or stop.

DRUM BRAKE

WHEEL CYLINDER BACKING PLATE BRAKE SHOES SELF ADJUSTER HARDWARE AND SPRINGS HAND BRAKE CABLE

Helps stop the vehicle with friction by exerting force on the brake shoes Hold the brakes together Carries the brake lining which is glued to the shoe Ensures the shoes remain close to the drum Return the brake parts to their initial position Tension on this creates the force needed to set the brake in motion

How it works

When the brake pedal is applied, the two curved brake shoes are forced by hydraulic against the inner surface of a rotating brake drum. This contact produces friction, which causes the vehicle to slow down or stop.

More info Visit scouts.org.uk/Volvo for more information about its partnership with the Scout Association.

14 GET ACTIVE!

August/September 2014

Discover more

In an emergency, your Scout necker can prove very useful, as these ideas from 1924 show. Try some of these handy hacks with your Group

Taken from The Scout, 1924 Pictures: Jon Challicom

Suitable for all

Did you know?

Neckers were traditionally worn by sailors and cowboys. They have been a part of the Scout uniform since 1915, introduced partly to identify different troops, but also as a versatile piece of survival kit.

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GET ACTIVE! 15

Badge

Move like a marshall Have a go at air marshalling and discover whether you can park a plane with this fun wide game Suitable for Scouts and Explorers Marshalling is used on the ground at an airfield to move an aircraft through tight gaps or into its parking space (known as a stand). It is a set of arm movements that allow workers on the ground to communicate with a pilot without talking to them.

You will need • The marshalling signals in the box at the bottom of this page.

What to do

1

With two or more other Scouts, find a space big enough to run around and spread your arms wide.

2

Between yourselves, assign one Scout to be the marshall, and everyone else to be aircraft.

The marshall should stand to the side, out of the way of the aircraft Scouts who should be evenly spread out.

3

When the marshall says go, the aircraft should run around in a clockwise direction – if you have enough space, use your arms as your aircraft wings!

4

After a while, the marshall will shout ‘signal!’ and use their arms to give one of the signals below. The aircraft watch and follow his instruction. For example, if arms are moving downwards, the

aircraft should slow their pace. For turn signals the aircraft changes direction, and for ‘straight ahead’, keep running. When the marshall gives the signal for ‘normal stop’, all aircraft should slow to a halt, and one can swap with the marshall before the game starts again.

5

Keep playing, and keep a record of how many signals you get correct in a row!

Marshalling signals

These are the main signals used by marshallers on an airfield. The easiest way to remember how to turn an aircraft is to imagine holding a rope attached to the wing that you wish to turn. Learn them all then play the game!

Turn right

Turn left

Straight ahead

Normal stop

Slow down

Picture: Thinkstock

More info Heathrow sponsors the Aviation Skills Activity Badges for Scouts and Explorers.

New resources for these badges will touch down soon. Meanwhile, for more information visit scouts.org.uk/heathrow.

16 GET ACTIVE!

August/September 2014

. . . n Lear Analogue gadgets What did Scouts do before today’s digital gizmos were invented? They used their Scouting skills to create their own versions! Here’s how…

An everlasting notepad

What d Scouts usee th re o ef b

iPad

Suitable for Cubs+ We’re sure Scouts will find a great many uses for this everlasting notepad. It’s just the thing for jotting down odd notes at meetings. If you have to make a list, just scribble the items on the pad and you can’t go wrong! What’s more, this novel little pad saves paper.

When you have finished with your notes, just raise the paper sheet and hey presto! The writing disappears and the pad is ready for use once again!

I’ve had one on my desk for years and it’s still going strong. Here’s the way to make a similar one.

What to do

1

Paint the sheet of cardboard with black paint (watercolour will do), and leave to dry.

Words: Downlander, in The Wolf Cub Annual, 1948

2

Now the secret of the everlasting pad. As soon as the paint has dried, rub the surface with a lump of beeswax or some paraffin wax. Be sure to give the cardboard a good even coating of whatever wax you use.

3

Assemble the pad. Pierce two holes at the top of the pad and insert the paper fasteners; then slip the wire paper clips in place at the two bottom corners.

4

When you write on the celluloid sheet, the pressure

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of your pencil will cause the piece of paper underneath to stick to the waxed cardboard, and the letters will show through the thin paper quite clearly.

5

When you want to ‘rub out’ your notes, slip off the paper clips and gently lift the paper off the cardboard. As it peels away from the wax, all your notes will vanish.

You will need

• A piece of good stiff cardboard, about the size of a postcard so that it will slip into your pocket.

You can, of course, make a bigger pad if you wish • A thin sheet of celluloid (acetate) cut to the same size as the cardboard • A sheet of thin white paper (tissue paper is ideal) trimmed to the same size as the cardboard • Two paper fasteners (the ones which are pushed through paper and fixed by bending their ‘legs’) • A couple of wire paper clips • Beeswax or paraffin wax (such as a candle stump)

Two kinds of paperclip are needed

6

You could show your Scouts how to make these notepads for themselves and then use them for writing secret messages to each other.

GET ACTIVE! 17

Learn…

Screen printing for beginners Suitable for Scouts+ With very little money, a few scrap materials, and a bit of help from an adult, you can try this basic printing process for yourself. You can print your design over and ts What Scou the over on paper or card – or even on T-shirts and fabrics if you use the correct inks. re o ef b d se u

COLOURR PRINTE

What to do

1

2

3

Mark out your piece Lay the screen Fold up the four of card. Cut out the mesh under the card sides of the card shaded areas using a ruler and staple around the along the scored lines and and knife. Score the lines. outer edges. secure corners with tape.

Words and pictures: Malcolm Turner, The Cub Scout Annual, 1986

You will need

4

Tape inside and out so the tape overlaps onto the mesh. Cut a piece of card for a squeegee.

5

6

7

Attach your paper stencil with tape to the outside base of the printing box.

8

Tape down two pieces of card on a board or old table top to hold the frame in place.

9

10

11

12

Using household Place the paper on a varnish or gloss piece of scrap board paint, paint the box inside and cut out your stencil and out. with a modelling knife.

Mix up the paint and add a teaspoon of wallpaper-paste or soap flakes. Mix until creamy.

• Some stiff card approx. 50cm x 30cm (eg an old shoe box) • Pencil • Ruler • Modelling knife • Scissors • Small stapler • Masking tape or gummed paper tape • Household varnish or gloss paint • Household paint brush • Cotton organdy or polyester screen printing material (from craft shops) • Containers for mixing ‘inks’ (empty yoghurt or cream pots make ideal mixing pots) • Soap flakes or wallpaper paste • Powder paints or water-based inks (from craft shops)

Place blank card Place the card Repeat the or paper under squeegee process as many your box. Pour a bit of behind the paint and pull times as you wish, adding paint into one end. smoothly towards you. more paint as required.

18 GET ACTIVE!

August/September 2014

Semaphore signalling Suitable for Cubs+ Signalling is well worth knowing.

It’s good fun to be able to signal your friend across the street without other people understanding what you’re talking about. You can communicate from separate mountains, or opposite banks of a river.

Semaphore signalling is easy to learn. You form different letters by putting your arms at different angles. It may look complicated, but you will find it’s really very simple.

ts What Scou the re o ef b d use

TEXT E M SSAGE

What to do

1

The sender must always face the place they are sending to.

They alert the receiving station by the calling up signal AAAA.

2

When the receiving station is ready it must give the ‘carry on’ signal, K. If not ready it sends Q, meaning ‘wait’.

Font Arial black

3

When the receiving station has read a word correctly it sends C or A. If a word is not answered it must be repeated until acknowledged.

4

To send numbers, give the numeral signal, or spell out the number in letters.

5 6

A/1

B/2

C/3

D/4

E/5

F/6

G/7

H/8

I/9

J/LETTERS

K/0

L

M

N

O

P

Q

R

S

T

U

V

W

X

Y

Z

To end a word, bring both arms down in front of you.

The receiving station ends with the ‘message received’ signal, R.

Words: Robert Baden-Powell, Scouting for Boys

Semaphore alphabet

Semaphore skills contribute to the Communicator Activity Badge.

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REST/ NUMERALS CANCEL SPACE

ERROR

GET ACTIVE! 19

Pack

Satellite dishes explained Scouts can investigate the technology behind satellites with two simple experiments Suitable for Scouts+

Experiment A

How do radio waves compare to light waves?

You will need • Torch • Portable radio • Clear plastic container • Glass, eg a window • Cardboard box • Aluminium foil (to cover the box)

What to do

1

Place the radio in the following locations and see whether your Scouts can still hear it: a. Inside the clear plastic container b. On the other side of a window c. In the cardboard box

2

Repeat this with the torch and note which materials allow light waves to pass through.

3

Now place the radio in the cardboard box and wrap the box in tin foil.

What do you notice?

Did you know?

The largest ever European communications satellite, AlphaSat, was launched in 2013. Its dish was so large (11m across), that it had to be folded up for its launch, then opened out once in orbit.

Experiment B

Investigating the shape of satellite dishes You will need • Torch, with parallel paper slits taped over the light • Handheld mirror • Concave mirror, such as the reflector from a car headlamp

What to do

1

Get your Scouts to work in pairs in a dark room. Ask one Scout to shine the torch upwards.

The second Scout should use the flat mirror to try and beam the light back to ‘Earth’.

2

The flat mirror should then be replaced by a concave mirror.

3

Scouts should now find that the parallel beams produced by the slits on the torch are brought closer together. Satellite dishes are concave, or curved, to focus satellite signals on one spot – the receiving station on Earth.

More info

20 GET ACTIVE!

Picture: Thinkstock

The UK Space Agency sponsors the Scout Astronautics Activity Badge and aims to inspire our next generation of UK scientists and engineers by motivating young people to study Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics, and space.

Visit scouts.org.uk/ukspaceagency to download activity resources for Scouts.

August/September 2014

scouts.org.uk/magazine

GET ACTIVE! 21

Pack Respect others

Surf safely Disney’s Club Penguin is here to help young people stay safe online Suitable for Beavers and Cubs The internet has become a part of everyday life for young people in the UK, with 90% of under 10s online*. It has been shown that early use of computers improves language skills, social development and creativity.

However, the internet is not without its risks, so it’s important that children learn from an early age how to act responsibly and stay safe online. Here’s an activity you can do with your section to get them discussing their experiences online.

*Childwise, The Monitor Report (2011-12)

Protect y personaour informa l tion

What to do Divide the room into two – a ‘Yes’ side and a ‘No’ side. Ask the Beavers or Cubs to move to the ‘Yes’ or ‘No’ side of the room, depending on their answers to these questions: • Do you like to chat with friends online?

• Do you play games?

• Do you like to create characters/avatars?

• Do you like to play on a games console?

• Do you have an online profile?

• Do you share pictures/ photos/videos online?

• Do you post comments?

• Do you like playing with other children?

• Do you watch videos?

• Do you look up information for your homework?

• Do you have access to a phone or tablet at home?

After you’ve read out each one, and the young people have moved to the relevant side of the room, ask them what they think the safety issues of doing these things might be.

Might they ‘meet’ other people while doing these things, are they revealing any personal information by doing them?

Young people, leaders and parents can visit the Club Penguin website (below) to find out more.

More info Club Penguin is a virtual world for kids guided by an unwavering commitment to safety and creativity. Visit clubpenguin.com/safety for more online safety resources, tips and info for young people and parents.

22 GET ACTIVE!

August/September 2014

Canny

CAMPING

Some 20th-century camping wisdom that might just come in handy on your next adventure‌ Suitable for Cubs+ Innovations such as dome tents, thermal mattresses, solar lights and gas stoves have made camping more comfortable these days. But there’s plenty to be learned from the Scout campers of yesteryear, as our roundup of camp ideas from the 1960s and 1970s shows.

scouts.org.uk/magazine

How to light a wet match

If your only match falls into a puddle just as you are preparing to light a campfire do not despair. Take it and dry it roughly on your clothing, then stick it in your hair. Leave it there for a minute and it will come out perfectly dry again.

GET ACTIVE! 23

Kit list, 1924 One of th e simple knife-sh st arpeners is an ordinary terracott flower p a ot – the bigger the bett er.

Ember cook-up!

You will need • Potatoes • Apples • Sausages • Butter, sugar and currants • Flour

What to do

The great thing about cooking over the embers of a fire is that there’s no washing-up afterwards.

Twists, sausages, jacket potatoes and baked apples form a great menu. Prepare the fire about two hours before you want to eat, as the flames have to die down to make a bed of hot embers before cooking. Put two logs at the side to stop the embers blowing about.

Remove cores from the apples and fill with currants, brown sugar

and butter. Prick the potato skins with a fork to stop them bursting, then individually wrap the apples and potatoes in two layers of foil.

Cut green sticks and peel off the bark. Hold them over the embers to dry out the sap (it can taint food).

Skewer sausages onto the sticks.

To make twists, mix self-raising flour, water and a pinch of salt in your mugs. Roll the paste into a long sausage and wind this around one end of a green stick.

This is what a Cub was expected to pack for camp in 1924…

• Complete Cub uniform – Cap, scarf, jersey, shorts, stockings, garter tabs and badges • Blankets – thick ones • Palliasse cover – to be filled with straw as your mattress.

An old sheet sewn up at the sides and fitted with tie tapes at one end will serve splendidly • Overcoat or mackintosh • Complete change of underclothes and stockings • Extra shirt or jersey • Extra pair of shorts – old ones, if possible, as clothes get torn easily on camp • Extra pair of boots or gym shoes • Pair of pyjamas or night shirt • Comb, flannel, soap, toothbrush or paste or powder, boot polish and brush • Towel, plate, mug, knife, fork and spoon • Kitbag

Build a bridge Often built by Scouts, rope bridges can call for a good knowledge of knots, but it’s always worth looking at the materials that are at hand. If there are logs or boughs which can be placed across the river you won’t need to worry about ropes and knots. The important thing is that they work and are safe.

To make a simple footbridge, try a scaffold bar long enough to span the ditch, two good long ropes, some shorter lengths of rope and some Scout staves.

Place the pole over the ditch and use some short bits of wood (large tent pegs are ideal) in the ground to stop it rolling. Next you need some rope handrails. Make use of any trees to tie them to, but if you need more, fix a long, strong stake into the ground and another a short distance behind it, then rope the two together so they cannot be pulled out of the ground. Then, by tying two of the staves together like an upside-down V, they can be used to keep the handrails apart. The bridge should be checked by an adult before use. scouts.org.uk/magazine

Scout staves hold the handrails apart, as a Scout bravely crosses the crocodileinfested stream

GET ACTIVE! 25

Kit list, 1924 One of th e simple knife-sh st arpeners is an ordinary terracott flower p a ot – the bigger the bett er.

Ember cook-up!

You will need • Potatoes • Apples • Sausages • Butter, sugar and currants • Flour

What to do

The great thing about cooking over the embers of a fire is that there’s no washing-up afterwards.

Twists, sausages, jacket potatoes and baked apples form a great menu. Prepare the fire about two hours before you want to eat, as the flames have to die down to make a bed of hot embers before cooking. Put two logs at the side to stop the embers blowing about.

Remove cores from the apples and fill with currants, brown sugar

and butter. Prick the potato skins with a fork to stop them bursting, then individually wrap the apples and potatoes in two layers of foil.

Cut green sticks and peel off the bark. Hold them over the embers to dry out the sap (it can taint food).

Skewer sausages onto the sticks.

To make twists, mix self-raising flour, water and a pinch of salt in your mugs. Roll the paste into a long sausage and wind this around one end of a green stick.

This is what a Cub was expected to pack for camp in 1924…

• Complete Cub uniform – Cap, scarf, jersey, shorts, stockings, garter tabs and badges • Blankets – thick ones • Palliasse cover – to be filled with straw as your mattress.

An old sheet sewn up at the sides and fitted with tie tapes at one end will serve splendidly • Overcoat or mackintosh • Complete change of underclothes and stockings • Extra shirt or jersey • Extra pair of shorts – old ones, if possible, as clothes get torn easily on camp • Extra pair of boots or gym shoes • Pair of pyjamas or night shirt • Comb, flannel, soap, toothbrush or paste or powder, boot polish and brush • Towel, plate, mug, knife, fork and spoon • Kitbag

Build a bridge Often built by Scouts, rope bridges can call for a good knowledge of knots, but it’s always worth looking at the materials that are at hand. If there are logs or boughs which can be placed across the river you won’t need to worry about ropes and knots. The important thing is that they work and are safe.

To make a simple footbridge, try a scaffold bar long enough to span the ditch, two good long ropes, some shorter lengths of rope and some Scout staves.

Place the pole over the ditch and use some short bits of wood (large tent pegs are ideal) in the ground to stop it rolling. Next you need some rope handrails. Make use of any trees to tie them to, but if you need more, fix a long, strong stake into the ground and another a short distance behind it, then rope the two together so they cannot be pulled out of the ground. Then, by tying two of the staves together like an upside-down V, they can be used to keep the handrails apart. The bridge should be checked by an adult before use. scouts.org.uk/magazine

Scout staves hold the handrails apart, as a Scout bravely crosses the crocodileinfested stream

GET ACTIVE! 25

Y A S E N O E M O S ?

DID E G A T I R E H T SCOU

portfolio. e g a t i r e H r la to the popu s n o i t i d d a .uk/shop. nt g e r c e .o r t u r o u c o S e it Se ll range vis u f e h t w e i To v N EW FOR

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‘Boy Scouts’ Heritage Hat Plume A decorative Scouts hat plume that is ideal for wearing with the Baden-Powell hat.

Material: Medal/Back fitting - Nickel Plated Plume - Green nylon Size (including plume): 6.5cm Ref: 105933

N EW FOR

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Scout Heritage Baden-Powell ‘School of the Woods’ T-shirt

£25.00 ENTARY A COMPLIM E ITEM TO TH ELL’S OW BADEN-PREF: 100939 AT H T SCOU

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Material: 100% Ring spun cotton Colour: Antique Red Men’s Ref: 106104 Ladies Ref: 106105 Size: S - XXL Size: 6 - 16

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Kit Heath Log and Axe Silver Cufflinks Beautifully crafted men’s cufflinks designed and manufactured by Kit Heath in the traditional Log and Axe design.

Material: Sterling Silver Size: 2.1 x 1.3cm Ref: 106073

£45.00

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Scout Heritage Navy Mini Satchel Classically designed navy mini satchel featuring the Heritage logo which is ideal for carrying A4 books and electronic devices.

Colour: Navy/Brown straps Size: 33 x 24 x 8cm Volume: 5 Litres Ref: 106006

£30.00

Equip yourself now at scouts.org.uk/shop Stay in touch for new products, sales, promotions and competitions: Scouts.org.uk/shop facebook.com/ScoutShops twitter.com/ScoutShops pinterest.com/ScoutShopsUK Email shop@scouts.org.uk and sign up to our newsletter Visit your local District Scout Shop © Scout Shops 2014. All prices and specifications are correct at time of printing and reserves the right to amend prices and specifications without notice. E&OE August 2014.

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TURN ED

IN TO SCOUT

G

Carve your own tent pegs Free up valuable packing space by making your own tent pegs on camp Suitable for Scouts+ Victorinox, maker of the world-famous ‘Swiss Army Knife’, has joined forces with The Scout Association to ensure that young people are using these versatile pocket tools safely. This activity shows just how easy it is to make invaluable Scouting tools with just a blade and some wood.

What to do

1 2

Cut your branch into several 6–8 inch pieces.

On one such piece, cut an ‘X’ about an inch and a half from the top end of the peg. Make a kind of rolling action with your blade around the stick as you press down. The cut should be reasonably deep.

3

‘Push cut’ into each axis of the ‘X’, forming the notch.

Try to create a curved cut into the notch.

4

After each couple of push cuts, perform another downward cross cut, cleaning out the notch.

5

Continue with these two cuts until you are happy with the depth and look of the notch.

6

Harden the points of your stakes by sticking the points in the coals of the fire. Wait until the tip starts to glow red, then take them out, cool them down and re-work the tip to a sharp point.

You will need • A straight, green branch, about 2in across and 3–4ft long is ideal. Depending on how many stakes you need, you may want to grab a couple of branches • Victorinox Swiss Army Knife • A roaring fire

The ‘push’ cut Hold the knife with your right hand, but push the blade with your left thumb.

Downward cross cut Cut across the branch in a regular back and forth motion.

More info Victorinox sponsors the Scout Survival Skills Badge. Resources are downloadable from scouts.org.uk/victorinox. Also check out facebook.com/victorinoxuk, @Victorinox on Twitter and instagram.com/victorinox for ideas.

scouts.org.uk/magazine

GET ACTIVE! 27

Badge

What’s where?

Plan your classic Scouting adventure with National Express Suitable for Beavers and Cubs Scouting is about adventure, trying new things and having new experiences. National Express now sponsors the Cub Outdoor Challenge Plus Badge to help young people plan their own outdoor adventures, from travel to overnight plans. Try this activity with your Group to help them plan their dream adventure – a great way to involve Beavers and Cubs in shaping their Scouting adventure.

You will need • A photocopy of this activity for each young person • Internet access • A map of the UK • A map of your local area

3. Eat haggis

Where would you go?

How would you get there?

4. Walk in the countryside Where would you go?

How would you get there?

What to do

Using the maps and the internet if you have it, work out where in the country you would need to travel to have the following Scouting adventures.

5. Watch the football Where would you go?

1. Go to the beach Where would you go?

How would you get there?

How would you get there?

6. Go to a theme park Where would you go?

2. Climb a mountain Where would you go?

How would you get there?

How would you get there?

Repeat for the following

Go climbing, fly a kite, go dragon boating, Stargaze.

More info National Express offers fantastic discounts for Scout Groups and volunteers.

Visit scouts.org.uk/nationalexpress for info.

28 GET ACTIVE!

August/September 2014

Explore

Footprint

TRACKING

Pictures: Thinkstock, Cub Scout Annual, 1970

Snow, mud, dust or sand are perfect for seeking out animal tracks and discovering what sort of wildlife is about

There are hundreds of species of birds resident throughout the year in this country, braving the worst our weather can produce. Mammals are far fewer and for that reason their footprints are easier to distinguish.

And then, of course, there are all the domestic animals like dogs and cats as well as cattle and sheep.

The footprints of a cow or sheep can look remarkably like those of a deer (they’re all cloven-hoofed), and it takes practice, as well as experience of the animals' habits, to tell which is which. The subject is so vast that it would take a whole book to do it justice. Meanwhile, good luck in your own, personal, nature detective work!

Trail of a house mouse.

Note the sweep of the tail between the foot-marks scouts.org.uk/magazine

Cat

Dog

Track left by a mole, showing the imprints of the strongly clawed forepaws, adapted for digging the soil, and those made by the less distinctively shaped hind feet

Badger

Fox

Tracks of a rabbit, running.

The longer prints are made by the hind feet, which overlap the forelegs

Trail of a carrion crow

Footprint of a coot, a common water bird. Note the lobes on each claw

These activities can contribute towards the Cub, Scout and Explorer Naturalist Activity Badge.

For more information see members.scouts.org.uk/ supportresources.

Grey squirrel, running at speed: four-toed forepaws preceded by five-toed hindpaws

GET ACTIVE! 29

Badge

Make your own compass If you don’t have a compass when you need one, it’s easy to create your own Suitable for Cubs+

What to do

1 2

Fill the shallow dish with water until it’s about 2.5cm deep.

First of all you need to turn your needle or paper clip into a magnet. You can do this by rubbing it with a magnet using steady strokes in the same direction; lift the magnet away from the needle after each stroke.

After quite a number of strokes – probably around 50 – the needle will be magnetised. You may want to take it in turns to do this.

Magnetise the needle

Balance on floating bottle top…

3

Either push the needle through the cork so that the same amount is sticking out each side, or place your compass needle on top of the cork or container lid so that it is balanced across the middle.

4

Now carefully place it in the middle of your dish of water and place your compass on a flat surface.

5

The needle will slowly oscillate and point toward north.

You will need • A needle or a straightened paper clip • Something small that floats, eg a slice of cork or the cap from a milk container • A shallow dish around 20–30cm diameter.

Safety warnings

• Needles are sharp.

Be careful!

• Wind may affect your compass working properly, so make sure it's shielded.

Push needle through cork d p an cam k or n o r u’re e co se If yo n’t hav ould u r do you c t you a , a lid f to flo eedle. a a le pass n co m

…or float cork in water

More info Ordnance Survey sponsors the Cub and Scout Navigator Badges. To download its activity packs visit scouts.org.uk/ordnancesurvey.

30 GET ACTIVE!

August/September 2014